In the part of Scotland where I grew up (East Lothian), the sort of narrow alleyway or path you describe is called a _vennel_ (pronounced to rhyme with 'kennel'). I assume it must be French in origin, as are many words used in Scots or in Scottish English ('ashet', a type of large serving platter, comes to mind).

There are all sorts of regional terms for an alleyway of this type: 'vennel', 'ginnel', 'snicket' and 'entry' (used in a broader sense than the standard usage) all come to mind.

By the way, I also found your article about transposition fascinating.

Neij

Marie and I ofter use the twitten between Hanover Street and Hanover Terrace. She'll also be extremely pleased to have got another mention.

In the rural areas of the U.S., a narrow path, not too narrow, wide enough for two, to walk side by side, or wider, would be a "Country Lane".

We don't have "twitten", but another word "Twit" means someone who is un-cool; socially unacceptable within a small group; especially amoung the Teenager set. :)

Here in Yorkshire it would be a gennel (with a soft "g") or a ginnel (with a hard "g"), snicket's quite common round here too.

"Vennel" is used in other parts of Scotland as well as the East Coast. I can think of a couple in Dumfriesshire anyway ...

You have taken me a long way towards my search. I moved from Hampton Middlesex to here in Nottingham 6 years ago. I have spent almost as much time trying to locate the word "twitchell". It is a Nottingham City word for a footpath from the main highway between gardens or hedges that leads to more houses behind those houses that front on to the main road. "Twitchell" is obviously derived of "twitten". Can you add anything further. I know of most of the other words for a path or alley. An entry, a snicket a jennel or gennel. I've another query later, but I will let you answer this one first

Regards
Colin

This is what the OED tells us about twitchell and twitten:

twitchel - dial. Forms: 5 twe-, twychel(l, twachylle, 8­9 twitchel, -ell.
[An alteration, or a variant with different suffix, of ME. twychen, late OE. twichene, OE. twycene, twicen a fork in a road, a forked way.
The form twychen survived in ME. times in Oxford in the names of special passages or lanes: see Wood City of Oxford (O.H.S.) I. viii. 187, 199, 223, etc., and Hurst Oxford Topogr. (O.H.S.) 186, 197. In Lanc. and Yorksh. the reduced form twitch is still in use. Cf. also twitten.]
A narrow passage between walls or hedges.

Twitten - [Perh. related to LG. twiete alley, land; but cf. also OE. twicen and twitchel1.]
A narrow path or passage between two walls or hedges.

It seems as if this site raises more questions than it answers. What is a "blog"? I've two fairly good dictionaries, Collins Milennium Edition , and a sixty dollar Websters. Neither book knows the word

CDC

I eventually found your definition of "twitten". Thank you

CDC

I have tried hard to discover an answer to my question. I have asked English teachers of French and actual Frenchmen; none seems to know the answer. I'll throw the question at you.

What is the origin of the fact that many French words have silent letters, far more than in English, and many of those in English derive from French.

I have noted that the letter T is becoming a silent letter in hoi polloi speech in the middle and ends of words, here in English. It is obviously lazy diction. Was this the same reason in French? And if so, at what time in French history were these silent letters voiced?

I presume that the G in "gnat" and the K in "knot" were voices at one time. The Israeli parliament seems to be the only word in English where the K is pronounced nowadays!

CDC

Hi Colin, I deleted one of your comments because it was off-topic. You'll find a good definition of blog here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blog.

As for silent letters, I will try and hazard and explanation: I learnt that it was due to the fact that the monks who were responsible for writing, at a time when no one else could, were paid by the letter. As a result, they tried to fit as many letters as possible in words without compromising their meaning/pronunciation. I will check whether this is right, but not today as I'm very busy.

If you use the word 'twitten' in Brighton, most people won't know what it means as they are from outside Brighton originally .. plus using it in reference to the Brighton Lanes would actually be incorrect. However, if you drive eight miles up the A23 and come off into Hurstpierpoint you will find a number of twittens, and a number of people who recognise the word (though not all do). A twitten is actually a cut through .. a short cut .. between walls, hedges, fences, houses etc. If you do visit Hurstpierpoint the easiest one to find is almost directly oposite the chemist on the high street. Hope you find that helpful :) Nim